Aircraft tail device



NOV. 5, 1940. SAULMER AIRCRAFT TAIL DEVICE 3 Sheet-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 21, 1938 AIRCRAFT TAIL DEVICE Filed Jan. 21, 1938 :s Sheets -Sheet 2 I Jauzvzz jnr/elzgor Nov. 5, 1940. R SAULNIER 2,220,546

AIRCRAFT TAIL DEVICE Filed Jan. 21, 1938' 3. Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 5,1940

UNITED STATE AIRCRAFT ran. navrce Raymond Sanlnier, Paris, France ApplicationJanuary 21, 1938,- Serial No. 186,198

Germany January 22, 1937 4 Claim.

.In a prior patent. I described a tail skid for an airplane or similar machine in which the skid or runner was carried by a tube or other cylindrical element mounted in such manner as to k be able to turn without being permitted to slide in two collars connected with the body of the airplane each through an independent lever, one of these levers being located on one side of the tube or cylindrical element and the other on the opposite side.

- In this device, the displacement of said tube or cylindrical element was braked by a suitable shock absorber connecting a suitable point of one of these levers with a pivot axis mounted u in fixed position on the airplane body.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide a device of this kind including means for retracting the tail skid into the tail .of the airplane when so desired, for instance in flight.

For this purpose, according to the essential feature of the present invention, the structure. including the shock-absorber, which connects the fixed axis with the point at which said structure is pivotally connected to one of said levers is adapted to vary in length.

Other features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of some specific embodiments thereof.

Preferred embodimentsof the present invention will be hereinafter described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, given merely by way of example, and in.which:--

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical side view illustrating the principle of the present invention, the

parts being shown in the position which corresponds to the skid projecting from the tail;

Fig. 2 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1, showing the relative position of the parts when the tail skid is retracted;

Fig. 3 is a side view showing a first embodiment of the present invention, with the tail skid projecting from the tail;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig.3, showing the tail skid retracted;

Fig; 5 isa perspective view showing a modiflcation of the arrangement of Figs. 3 and 4;

Fig. 6 is a side view showing another embodim' it of the invention, with the tail skid projecting from the tail; Fig. 'l is a corresponding view. with the tail skid retracted: v

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective viewshowing means for locking the respective parts of the embodiment'of Figs. 8 and '7. In Fig. 1, I have diagrammatically shown, by

- dash-and-dot line lo, the mechanism which connects together points 9 and i2. Point i2 is a fixed point of the airplane structure, while point 9 is at the end of an arm or lever the other end of which is pivoted at 8 to the body of the airplane. 5

, The wheel i8 which constitutes the tail skid is journalled in a fork forming the end of a tube 2 adapted to pivot but not to slide in collars 3 and 4. Collar 3 is carried by a point I 6 of lever I, and collar 4 is pivotally carried by the end l5 l0 of-a lever l3 pivoted at M to the airplane body and located on the other side of tube 2 from point 8.

Fig. 2 clearly shows that if distance 9-|2 is shortened, the skid is retracted inside the tail of 15 the airplane. As a matter of fact, as point I2 is I a fixed point of the airplane body, it will be'readiiy understood that, when the length of structure I0 is reduced,.point 9 is caused to move upwardly, thus moving tube 2 and the wheel l8 thereof to-' go gether with it.

Of course, within the scope of the present invention, there are many difierent manners of providing for a reduction of the distance 9|2.

In the embodiment shown by Figs. 3 and 4, the 26 elastic bar l0 which connects :points 9 and I2 with each other is made of two portionsqls and 2|, hinged together at a point 20. At this point, I provide a jack 35, arranged at right angles to said elements l9 and 2|, when the latter are in so line with each other. The end of the rod 22 of this jack is connected through two links 23 with arms I! and 2|, respectively. One of these arms, to wit, l9 includes the shock absorber system,

whereas the other, 2|, is rigid.

-When a fluid under pressure is fed to jack 35 through pipe 2 4, the rod of the jack is caused to project outwardly (see Fig. 4)", which involves the folding of arms I! and 2|. As clearly shown by Fig. 4, all the pivot points and all the parts of 40 the system are arranged in such manner that this expansion of the jack causes the skid to be retracted inside the tail of the airplane.

In a modificatiomillustrated by Fig. 5, I'hav shown the case in which itis not possible to re- 45 duce the length of shock absorber l9 sufliciently for preventing it from projecting beyond hinge I 20. In other words, in this case, the shock absorber must necessarily extend beyond point 20. In this embodiment also, arm 2| is Jointed at a Illto arm l9, jack 3! keeping the same position with respect to the hinge and to elements I! and 2! as in the embodiment of Figs. 3 and 4. How- ;ever, in order to give the shock absorberthe necessary iength,-arm 2| is given the shape of a fork 2m, pivoted at is to shock absorber I. in such manner that the shock absorber 1 passes between the branches of the fork. The operation of this device corresponds exactly to that above described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4.

' In the embodiment shown by Figs. 6 and 7, two connecting rods 28 are pivoted at their ends fltothe body ii ofthe shockabsorber on either side thereof, whereas the other ends of said connecting rods are pivoted to the airplane body about axis l2. In order to retract wheel ll inside thetailofthe airpiane,Imakeuseoi'ajack 21 the body of which is pivoted at 28 to the connecnecting rods 28, whereas the rod of this jack bears at 20 on a lug carried by said shock absorber.

It fluid under pressure is fed through pipe 24 into jack 21, the rod of said jack is driven out, as shown by Fig. 7, and it causes connecting rods 25 to'pivot about axis l2. This rotation has for its eifect to reduce distance ll2 so that, in

'thiscaseakmthetailskidisretractedinsidethe tail oithe airplane. Wheel ll maybe urged in a downward direction by means of return springs or of an elastic cable it which causes the piston rod of jack 21 to move inwardly in the cylinder thereof when fluid under pressure is no longer fed throughpipellp f, e

In order to avoid an accidental folding oi! connecting rods 25 when the airplane is running on the ground, I have provided an automatic lock- I ing device which is shown in detail in Fig. 8; In .this device, the rod of the jack is provided with a transverse pin 3i guided in two slideways l2 .i'ormed in two 11188 a rigid with the body ll of the shock absorber. .This pin 3| projects on either 'side of lugs 33 through slideways I2. Op-

positethis axis orspindle ii, I provide two pawls 34 pivoted to the inner sides oi. connecting rods rodsll. It dunderpressureisfed the insideoithe jackthrough pipe ",therodotthe jack is pushed outwardly and it moves 3i upwardly, until the latter reachesthe oi slidewaysfl. Inthispositiompinllisnolonger engagedbypawls. Therodoitheiackthen pusheslugsflupwardlythroughpintLwhich produces arotationot connectingrodsllabout point ILsothatthetailskidisretraetedasabove theconnectingrodsarelockedbysaidpawlaf Inageneral manner. while Ihave,intheabove disclosedwhatIdeemtobepracticai' and eiiicient embodiments of the'present invention,itshouldbewelllmderstoodthatldonot wish tobe limited thereto as theremllht be changes made in the arrangemmt,'disposition,i and form of the parts without departing from the principle of the present invention ascomprehaided within the scope oi the-accompanying WhatIclaimis:

II 1. Atail'skid device toranairplanebodywhich and is retracted-inside said comprises, in combination, a skid member adapted to run on the ground, a cylindrical element carrying said skid member, two annular supports surrounding said cylindrical element so as to permit its rotation therein while preventing its slid- 5 ing displacement, two levers pivoted to said airplane body at points thereof located on opposite sides of said cylindrical element, said le'vers being pivotally connected to said ring-shaped supports, respectively, for supporting them, two parts one pivotedto aiixed point oisaidairplane bodyand v the other to apoint of one of said levers. one of said parts consisting of a rigid bar and the other of a shock absorber, a hinge connecting said two parts together so that said skid member is proiecting from the airplane body when said two parts are in line with each other and is retracted inside said airplane body when said two parts make angle with each other, a jack carried by said hinge so as'to extend at right angles to 10 both of said parts when they are in line with each other, said jack including a movable piston, and two connecting rods interposed between said movable piston and intermediate points of said rigid bar and said shock absorber.

' 2. A tail skid device for an airplane body which comprises, in combination, a skid member adapted to run on the ground,a cylindrical element carrying said skid member, two annular supports surrounding said cylindrical element so as to 80 permit its rotation therein while preventing its sliding displacement, two levers pivoted to said airplane body at points thereof located on opposite sides of said cylindrical element, said levers being pivotally connected to said ring-shaped.

supports, respectively, for supporting them, two parts pivoted one to a fixed point of said airplane bodyandtheothertoapointofoneofsaidlevers,oneotsaidpartsconsistingoiashockabsorbe'r and the other of a fork-shaped rigid bar,

a hinge connecting an intermediate point of said p shock absorber with the end oi the branches of said ,iork-shaped bar, so that said did member is projecting from the airplane body when said shock absorberandsaid iork-shapedbar arein airplanebodywhensaidtwopartsmakeanangls' witheachothenaiackcarried bysaid hingeso asto'extend atrisht angles to both otsaid two 'partswhentheyareinlinewitheachothensaidgg Jack including a movable piston, and two con:

'nectingrodsinterposedbetweensaidmovablepiston and intermediate. points oi said rigid !ork-. shaped bar and said shock absorber, respectively.

3. Atailskiddeviceforan airplanebody which is comprises,in combination, a skid member adaptedtonmonthearoundacylindrieaielement mititsrotationthereinwhiie preventingitsslid- I ing t, two levers pivoted .to said air- 'planebodyat points thereof locatedon opposite sides of said cylindrical element, said-levers beingpivotallyoonnectedtosaidring-shapedsupports, respectively, forsupporting-them,ashock" absorberpivotedatoneendtoapointotoneoi saidleveratwoparallei mdspivoted to'an intermediate part'oi! saidshock absorberoneithersidethercoiatoneenmandbothpivjotedtoaflsedpointoisaidairplanebodyatthe" other end. aiackmadeoi. tw'opartsslidabiein eachothenoneoisaidpartsbeingpivotallycon- .nected with respective points of said connecting rodswhicharenotonthelineioiningthepivotingendsthereoi,theotherpartotsaidjackbeing 15 connected to a point or the part of said shock absorber which is adapted to come between said connecting rods, and elastic means for urging said two parts of the jack away irom each other.

4. A tail skid device for an airplane body which comprises, in combination, a skid member adapted to run on the ground, a cylindrical element carrying said skid member, two annular supports surrounding said cylindrical element so as to permit its rotation therein while preventing its sliding displacement, two levers pivoted to said airplane body at points,thereof located on opposite point of said shock absorber on either side thereof and both pivoted at the other end to a fixed point of said airplane body, a Jack made of two parts slidable in each other, one of said parts being pivotally connected to both of said connecting rods at points thereof which are not on the line joining the pivoting ends thereof, two parallel. lugs carried by the part of said shoci; absorber which is to come between said connecting rods, a pin carried by the other part of said jack, slots provided in said lugs for slidably accommodating said pin, elastic means for urging said parts of the Jack away from each other, andpawls carried by said connecting rod adapted to engage said pin when the latter is at the inner endof said slot corresponding to the parts of the jack being retracted in each other.

, RAYMOND SAULNIER. 

